Apple Keynote — 09/12/17

This week’s keynote from Apple was probably the most highly anticipated one for me since the launch of the original iPhone. Other notables were the iPhone 4 keynote, the original iPad keynote, and the iPhone 6 keynote. One thing that made this keynote extra special was that it was the first one at Apple Park, and the first event to be held in the Steve Jobs theatre. I thought it was absolutely perfect that the keynote began with the voice of Steve Jobs — he truly was the guiding force that brought Apple to where it is today.

Aside from all of the anticipation, this year was also one of the worst years for leaks — and in my opinion, even worse than when the iPhone 4 was lost in a bar. So going in, many people who follow Apple closely knew roughly what to expect — a new 4K Apple TV, LTE Apple Watches, iPhone 8/8 Plus, and the iPhone X. However, this did not take away from my excitement for the keynote as I still had a ton of questions about these devices beyond what they look like, or what they are named. Not to mention getting to see the new devices in action for the first time, and learning about all the technologies that goes into them is always the most exciting thing to me. So here are my initial & brief thoughts on the announcements.

Apple TV 4K

It was just a matter of time before Apple brought 4K to the Apple TV, and now is a great time. Walk into any major electronic store, and you realize that there are now more 4K televisions for sale than 1080p — which tells you that over the next 2 years many consumers will have 4K televisions in their homes. But the most exciting thing about the new Apple TV for me is HDR! 4K is incredibly nice to look at, but HDR is where things truly begin to shine.

Apple Watch — Series 3 (LTE)

Adding LTE to the Apple Watch shows that Apple is truly investing a lot in to the wearables space. And while people who run, swim, or surf will likely benefit the most from having cellular connectivity on their watch, there will always be a few times here and there when you forget your phone at home, or the battery dies, etc. where having that cellular connection would come in handy! On top of the addition of LTE, the Series 3 Apple Watch is also getting some advancements in heart rate monitoring, as well as some processor improvements, and some nice new bands.

iPhone 8 & 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the next iteration of the iPhone lineup, and while they look similar in design to the iPhone 7, the new all-glass back will really set them apart. On the inside, we see a whole spectrum of changes including:

25% louder speakers

True Tone display

Hardware multi band noise reduction for photos

Portrait Lighting (iPhone 8 Plus and X only)

6-Core A11 Bionic chip with dedicated Neural Engine

Quad LED True Tone Flash with Slow Sync

4K video @ 60fps

1080p Slo-mo video @ 240fps

Qi wireless charging

Fast charging (up to 50% battery in just 30 minutes)

iPhone X

The iPhone X (pronounced iPhone “ten”) is Apple’s vision for where the iPhone is going — a fullscreen display that blends technology with the real world. I’m extremely excited about this phone, and can’t wait to get my hands on it on November 3rd! In addition to all the new features coming to the iPhone 8, here is a summary of the new features coming exclusively to the iPhone X:

Super Retina Display — A 5.8” OLED display with a resolution of 448 pixels per inch — the highest pixel density Apple has ever shipped on an iPhone! Also includes a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, wide colour gamut support, 3D Touch, and True Tone.

6-Core A11 Bionic Chip with dedicated Neural Engine

FaceID — 20 times more secure than Touch ID, in theory

New f/2.4 Telephoto Lens w/OIS (Compared to f/2.8 lens on iPhone 8 Plus which does not have OIS)

TrueDepth front facing camera system, allowing for the new Animoji (can’t wait to play around with this!)

Summary

I loved this keynote — it had a special, and somewhat nostalgic vibe to it — 10th anniversary of the original iPhone, first event at Apple Park, first event in the Steve Jobs theatre, a giant leap forward with the iPhone X, and just an overall positive atmosphere. Apple truly is a company that thrives on making the world a better place, through and through — from their products, to their culture, to their commitment to the environment, and their attention to detail — Apple employees put their heart and soul into everything they do, and it shows. So thank you to all of them for all of their hard work. I believe the iPhone X marks a turning point in the history of the iPhone in many ways, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it!